Hudson Yards Announces $75m Public Art Project

The Wall Street Journal has a great story about developer Stephen Ross’s plan for a major attraction at the center of the new Hudson Yards development that lies along the city’s newest major draw, the High Line. Hudson Yards is already attracting important cultural anchor tenants in the form of the newly announced Culture Shed and repeated leaks that Related Companies is soliciting Sotheby’s to move downtown.

The authors explain that Thomas Heatherwick (that’s his UK Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, above) has been chosen for the major commission which may be the world’s most expensive public art project after Ross personally engaged with Anish Kapoor—whose Could Gate is a major attraction in Chicago—Maya Lin and Jeff Koons. Koons has been trying to build his suspended locomotive on two coast for several years now without making solid progress.

Mr. Ross was intensely involved in the selection of an artist to develop a vision for the public space at the core of the development. He personally solicited ideas from such high-profile artists as Jeff Koons, Anish Kapoor, Maya Lin and Richard Serra, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Mr. Koons and Ms. Lin didn’t respond to requests for comment. Mr. Kapoor couldn’t be reached. Mr. Serra said that at his meeting with Mr. Ross, he told the developer he wasn’t “up for” submitting a plan at the same time others were vying for the work, explaining that his process is to see a site and work with engineers as he develops an idea.

According to Mr. Serra, Mr. Ross said, “Will you at least make me a sketch?” Mr. Serra said he declined, saying that wasn’t how he worked, and Mr. Ross, disappointed, got up and left the room, ending the meeting.